


Birthright

by QueenEgg



Series: Kingdom Eternal (or, the Twin Heirs AU) [1]
Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Hornet Suffers, Hornet knows First Aid, Implied Character Death, Man this is like the worst kind of Sibling Bonding, The Abyss kind of sucks if you aren't a real void thing, The Abyss kind of sucks in general, The Pale King's Horrible Decaying Wyrm Corpse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2018-01-09
Packaged: 2019-01-21 20:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12465432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenEgg/pseuds/QueenEgg
Summary: Being the descendant of a King isn't all that Hornet imagined it to be.





	1. Heritage

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to 'Hornet Suffers Emotionally' the Fic.

It wasn’t curiosity that drove her to such a place.

Even as she drew nearer to where her sire had first died, Hornet felt the urge, the call that sang out from deep within her mind. Two voices fought for her attention- one demanding she turn around and destroy the vessel before it became even more dangerous, and the other beckoning for her to serve the light of which half of her was born. As the child of the Wyrm and Beast stepped forth to the site of Pale King’s massive corpse, she couldn’t help but marvel at the remainder of his great body stretching out over the vast expanse of canyon before her.

Hornet gazed upon the gaping, petrified maw of the wyrm’s decaying shell unflinchingly. The Little Ghost would appear to claim the brand, and if it was able to best her in battle once more she would set aside her duties as protector of ruins to watch over its next moves. If it succeeded in its goals, it would inherit the title of King and become the new ruler of Hallownest, destroyed as it was.

However, that wouldn’t stop her from doing what needed to be done should it prove inadequate.

Making the short climb back up to the cavern she’d chosen to be their arena, Hornet wondered how long she would have to wait for the Little Ghost to appear. After it had bested her in Greenpath, she’d gone ahead to see if it would follow her trail. _Was this one strong enough to endure?_ she asked herself. Would it be the answer to that which she’d been searching for?

As soon as it reached the monument lying at the center of the City of Tears, she’d told it to seek her in the grave of ash. There she would remain by the dead king’s shell until it arrived to challenge her.

Though, as the days passed Hornet found herself waiting longer than expected for its arrival.

Was it ignoring her, or had it forgotten her words? It had been some time since their previous encounter, and now Hornet wondered if it had perhaps perished before reaching her.

With a glance towards the entrance of the room, Hornet felt an unfamiliar stab of worry. The Little Ghost was the first to approach her without fear or hesitation. Its nail had clashed with hers in a grand display of skill that she hadn’t experienced in an age. Briefly, she considered whether or not she would mourn its passing if tragedy truly had befallen it.

Even if the Little Ghost had beaten her once, that didn’t mean it was the chosen replacement for the sealed vessel. There were others, she knew. The previous ones had not succeeded in either incapacitating her or escaping her blade and for that, she held no remorse. It was better to cut down the weak to pave way for the strong, though even Hornet wasn’t even sure whether or not any more living vessels remained either within or outside of the kingdom.

In this case, the vessel _was_ strong, but Hornet couldn’t let that stop her from doing her duty should the prove inadequate. However, she was growing impatient.

Should she go and see for herself if it was alive? Although that was probably her best option, she didn’t know how she could justify such an encounter. What if it arrived at the site of the grave without her there? Sighing aggravatedly, Hornet sheathed her weapon and gazed tentatively at the path to where the wyrm’s body lay.

It would be pointless to venture to see it once more, but still, she felt the pull. Before she was aware of her own actions, she was already jumping down into the pit and stepping past the mouth of the disintegrating shell.

The wind still blew through the hollow tomb, and as she let herself forget her surroundings for a moment Hornet considered her legacy. She was the child of such a great being in a way. To hold even a small measure of its power set her above the rest of the bugs who inhabited Hallownest. She was a higher being in her own way.

Why should the vessel gain the mark of the King? What use had it for their creator’s royal blessing? Out of any being that still lived and breathed within the kingdom’s ruins, wasn’t _she_ the most qualified for such a role?

Unthinkingly, Hornet reached out for the light that shone just within arm’s length. This was hers. It had always been hers from the moment she was born-!

With a bright searing flash, Hornet leaped away with a cry of pain. Her shell felt like it was on fire, and her vision was dotted with lights that refused to clear even as she blinked furiously. Stumbling back, she realized that there was a roaring noise that wasn’t coming from her own mind. Within a few seconds, her sight cleared enough for her to catch a glimpse of something falling towards her just in time for her to dive out of the way. Realizing the danger she was in, Hornet turned to run when she caught a glimpse of the Little Ghost at the end of the tunnel, its small form frantically trying to avoid being crushed by the collapsing debris.

There was a split second where some cruel part of her said to leave it behind, that if it were truly strong, it would survive even this. Hornet smothered those dark feelings beneath the guilt that now plagued her. Dashing forward, she caught the vessel under one arm and used the other to throw her needle upwards even as the ash from the wyrm’s corpse came down in droves.

She’d almost reached the top before the ash became too thick to see through. Struggling to see which way was out, Hornet saw the opening into the arena and attempted to flee the crumbling grave when another tremor shook the ground, knocking her off balance as a piece of the wyrm’s shell fell on top of her needle, the same thread she’d used now preventing her own escape. Glancing at the Ghost, still held tight in her grip, Hornet made one last desperate move and tossed them as hard as she could towards the exit.

Hornet saw their tiny body slide against the ground just outside of range of the shell’s collapse just before the entrance was filled up. Ash and bits of shell rained down upon her even as she struggled to free herself from her restraints, the fight leaving her soon after as she realized the hopelessness of the act. Dropping to the ground, Hornet gazed up as the wyrm’s detritus filled up the room.

She may have failed in granting the Ghost the brand, but as long as they survived there was still a chance that Hallownest could be saved. Even as the world was consumed by white, Hornet felt naught but peace.

* * *

For a time, Hornet knew nothing but silence. She could barely breathe without inhaling ash, and with her needle still caught, there was little she could do except wait for death. If anything, she was at least glad that she’d spared the Ghost’s life. It had a purpose beyond hers. A being such as that needed no further burdens to be placed upon it- no, _their_ shoulders. It was probably for the best that she remain buried until the remainder of her sire’s corpse became her grave as well.

Hornet couldn’t tell how long it’d been since then, but at one point, she remembered briefly waking to the sound of shifting before the darkness of sleep claimed her once more.

Later she woke only to realize the world had lightened, the claustrophobic tomb composed of the remnants of the wyrm’s shell gone and replaced with the ambient glow of the Kingdom’s Edge. Looking up, she saw the Ghost working diligently to untangle her arm from her thread. They’d paused slightly upon noticing her watching them, and once they were finished, they dashed away to a safe distance, just out of range of her needle’s throw.

Slowly, Hornet lifted herself off the ground and carefully rewound her thread, her mind oddly silent. Once her weapon was re-sheathed, she turned to face the Ghost, who had tentatively approached her when they realized she wasn’t going to attack them. Not bothering to stand, Hornet rested upon her knees and patted the space next to her. The vessel stood close by for a while- no doubt testing to see whether her actions were genuine or not -before finally sitting down at her side. With a sigh, she lowered her head.

“You have my sincerest apologies, Ghost of Hallownest. Through my selfishness, I have impeded your pursuit of the truth. It was not my intention, and I do not deserve the mercy you have shown me on this day. If there is anything I can do to assist you-” Hornet paused her speech when she felt a small tug on the edge of her cloak. Focusing back on the Ghost, she watched as they stood and made a few steps towards the way out of the cavern before stopping to gaze at her expectantly. Climbing to her feet, she considered their actions. “Do you wish for me to accompany you?”

Their nod was so slight that if she hadn’t been watching them so intently, she’d have missed it. Steeling herself, Hornet bowed briefly, the mark emblazoned on her crest sending a brief jolt of pain through her body.

“If that is what it takes to make up for my transgressions. Lead the way, Little Ghost.”


	2. Stains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fancy a quick visit to the abyss, anyone?

The Ancient Basin was seldom visited by any who were not devoted worshippers of the former King. As it was, Hornet knew their numbers dwindled greatly in the wake of the monarch’s disappearance. Their tired, empty husks lay still among the cracks and crevices of the royal dwelling, and she wondered if one day, that would be all remained of their civilization at all.

Hornet shook away the wisps of melancholy before they could spread. The Little Ghost was already ahead of her, and she had to keep up. The brand seared upon her was the only way they would be able to enter the abyss and discover the truth. From there, they could complete their quest on their own. Or at least, that was what she hoped.

After the disastrous encounter at the Kingdom’s Edge, Hornet followed alongside the vessel as the odd pair made their way to the place where it all began.

Forcing herself not to look at the path leading to the remnants of the white palace, she descended, keeping to the Little Ghost’s heels as they approached the door. The closer she got to the seal, the hotter the mark on her shell grew until it was near-agonizing. It took an overwhelming amount of effort for her to finally touch the barrier, the carved seal splitting in half before vanishing in a flurry of lights that dissolved almost as soon as they appeared. Stopping to catch her breath, Hornet didn’t notice the vessel still next to her until she raised her head, their odd gaze boring into her.

“What? I have removed the barrier. You are free to enter that ruinous place now. Our paths diverge here-” Hornet paused as they tentatively patted her arm and pulled on her cloak as they pointed towards the lightless entrance. Standing and brushing the dust off her cloak, she considered her options. Although she’d cleared the way for them, they would have been able to do the same had they received the brand instead of her. This wasn’t true repayment, and she knew that.

With a sigh and a mumbled, “ _ Very Well, _ ” the two of them passed the threshold into the suffocating, oppressive atmosphere of the Abyss. The Little Ghost withdrew a lumafly lantern from somewhere beneath their cloak and clutched it tightly as they gazed hesitantly into the darkness below.

While they were preoccupied, Hornet pulled out her thread and tied it to the edge of the platform they were standing on. Once she was certain it was secured, she sent her needle down into the unknown. Before they could protest, Hornet scooped up the vessel with one arm, holding them tightly against herself as she dove down, using her free arm to grasp her thread and slow their descent.

Although they were both sliding into the unknown at a rapid pace, it still took some time before they reached the bottom of the pit. On their way down, Hornet felt the Little Ghost tremble in her arms as the cracked forms of familiarly shaped pale masks reflected the light emanating from their lantern. Haunting figures loomed within the shadows just out of reach, and for some reason, Hornet felt compelled to turn them both away from the sight. As they finally came to a stop, Hornet gracefully dropped to the ground, setting down the vessel and untying her needle before re-threading it with another spool. She would leave the other line alone until they departed.

Turning to face the Little Ghost, she watched them stare at the thousands of destroyed bodies, the remnants piled up so high that they filled the chasm. Settling a hand on their shoulder, she pulled them away from the carnage.

“Come, there is something here that you were meant to have, and you won’t find it among their shards.” They stepped away shortly after that, and soon, they were walking as fast away from the destruction as they could. Hornet followed after, holding her needle at the ready.

Traveling further into the ruined caverns, Hornet hurried to keep pace with the Ghost as their light drifted in and out of sight. She only caught up to them once they paused in front of a writhing, thrashing pit of  _ something _ . In the dimness, she thought she saw a row of eyes glimmering out from the black substance, but in another instance, it was gone. The vessel seemed to only pay them the least bit of attention as they jumped over the flailing tendrils of void. Hornet followed suit, the two of them racing and leaping over pits before coming to an obstacle that they couldn’t cross with a simple hop.

Before them stretched an expanse of void so large that Hornet couldn’t even see the shore on the opposite side. The Little Ghost made to move closer towards the black lake when a slew of violent tentacles reared up to strike at them. Hurriedly pulling the shorter bug away from the edge, Hornet looked around in search of a way to cross safely. Glancing upward, a familiar shape rose out of the gloom.

“The King’s lighthouse...” she mumbled, the former monarch’s four-pronged crest sitting prominently at the top of the structure. Upon hearing her words, the Little Ghost pulled themselves out of her grasp and began to make their way up the steps. Hornet vaulted herself up as well and started to follow when a shadow materialized in front of her, a pair of startlingly bright eyes casting their gaze at her from out of the darkness.

With a gasp, she swung out of the way as it dove towards her. When it turned around to charge again, she attempted to strike it with her needle. The edge of her blade sliced right through the specter, its wispy form dissipating momentarily into black motes before it came together again. Hornet didn’t expect her foe to recover from her attack in such a way, her shock leaving her open to attack as the shade slammed against her.

The second her assailant made contact with her shell, Hornet was stunned by the impact. The shadow’s retaliation left her body feeling cold and brittle, her limbs refusing to move even as she struggled to regain control of them. Above her, she could see the Little Ghost successfully fending off similar beings with their nail. If they were able to fight them properly, then why couldn’t she-?

In the few moments it took her to recover, another shadow collided with her, the resulting shockwave of pain drawing a cry from her throat as she teetered on the edge of the platform. Through the haze, Hornet became dimly aware of how much everything hurt. Her shell was intact, yet the shades caused her harm beyond physical limitations. If it only took two to incapacitate her so thoroughly, what would happen if even more came for her? It wasn’t often that she experienced anything similar to fear, but the unfamiliar sensation of terror was starting to make itself present in the back of her mind.

Preparing one more desperate swipe with her nail, she froze when the Little Ghost dropped down from above, their diminutive form lit up by the shining relic they held before them. With a single swing, the luminous blade sliced through both shadows, their misty bodies dissipating instantly. Once it seemed that no more would appear, Hornet dropped to her knees, her chest heaving with each strained breath as she tried to calm herself.

Looking up at her twice-now savior, she sighed and whispered out, “It seems that I owe you yet another lifetime, Ghost.” Their head inclined towards her slightly at her words before they pointed up, the lighthouse dome looming above them both. “Right, we still have a job to do.” Letting them pull her up, Hornet ran alongside them, deftly avoiding the shades while Ghost used the shimmering talisman to send them away.

Once they were finally at the top, Hornet allowed herself an immensely short respite, the lingering ache from the two hits she’d taken causing her to falter slightly as she stepped forward. Turning towards Ghost, she began to state her gratitude for their previous assistance when another shade rose up behind them.

It was only because of her trained reflexes that she was able to throw her weapon fast enough that the hollow stain of regret couldn’t touch them. Hornet’s needle sailed straight through the gap between Ghost’s horns and pierced the shade before she yanked the thread back towards herself, disarming it long enough for them to spin around and slice through it with the nail forged from dreams.

Breathing heavily, Hornet ushered Ghost into the lighthouse, barely stopping to give the massive lantern at the center of the room a second glance before she slumped against the wall to catch her breath. Glancing up, she watched them pause to look back at her. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but Hornet thought she might’ve seen something that resembled concern in their stance before the turned away and reached for the lever at the opposite side of the dome.

As soon as they flicked the switch, a truly incredible amount of lumaflies were siphoned into the lantern in the center of the room. The light was near blinding, but Hornet could see their luminescence filtering through the lens that made up the other wall, the beacon shining down upon the surface of the void sea and chasing away the beasts that lurked within.

However, with the new illumination, Hornet could also see something else. Standing, she crossed the room and knelt down next to the corpse of a retainer, the eye holes of their mask stained black with tears. Although she wasn’t one to feel sorrow for the departed, she bowed her head out of respect for the dead nonetheless. Ghost tentatively approached and kneeled as well, looking up at her for what she assumed was an explanation.

“It is not in my nature to feel sadness for the ones long gone to this world, but for some reason, I can’t help but feel some pity for this bug,” she began. “Perhaps it is because of this place. To be sent here to serve alone, surrounded by the beings we encountered outside-” Hornet’s breath hitched as another twinge of discomfort rattled through her chest.

“I wonder, just how long did they stand watch? Did they even know their king deserted them? It seems selfish, but I hope they passed still believing in their pale monarch, false as he was.” When she looked at Ghost once more, they seemed almost bewildered by her words. “What? You may see me as cold-hearted, but a heart is still something I have nonetheless, and with it comes the capacity for compassion, despite how little an urge I have to show it. Carry on with your quest, Ghost. I cannot accompany you across the void sea, but I will still be here when you return. Then, we can ascend to the surface together.”

She was expecting them to stand and leave in silence, so when a tiny pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders for a split second, Hornet failed to react. Her startled gaze followed them as they rushed out of the room, the lingering sensation of their touch chasing away the chill left by the shades.


	3. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> /aggressive crying/

After Ghost returned to the lighthouse- their cloak stained with the essence of the very shadows that they’d been made from -Hornet had accompanied them to the surface as promised, and from there they split paths once more. They would meet again soon, she knew, though if her suspicions were correct, their next meeting would be less than pleasant for her.

The Beast’s Den should have felt familiar to her, but crossing the breadth of Deepnest had only made her heart heavy as she witnessed what had become of her formerly proud kin. The infection wasn’t strong enough the block her family’s memories of their beloved princess, but they only remembered enough of her to know not to turn their claws and fangs against her. Otherwise, they were just as mindless as the rest of the husks that wandered the caverns. Even worse was the pain she felt upon reaching the place where her mother dreamt.

Ghost was lying on the ground beside the stone plinth, and Hornet only had a moment to drink in the sight of Herrah one last time before her body broke apart into a million shards of light.

That encounter had been some time ago, and she hadn’t seen them since. When they’d awoke to see her sitting beside them, it appeared they had no idea how to react. When their stares met, an understanding was shared between them despite the lack of words spoken. Ghost had left soon after, but not without a brief touch to Hornet’s shoulder- the sentiment leaving her feeling oddly at peace.

Now, she was standing before the Black Vault with her needle held aloft. Globs of infection were growing out of the abyssal egg, the vines stretching outward and spreading through the rest of the crossroads. Hornet knew it wouldn’t be long until the plague spread to the rest of Hallownest.

What good was it to be the protector of a kingdom lost? The thought scared her more than she’d like to admit, but there was still hope as long as-

Hornet paused her thinking the moment a familiar presence reached her mind. Something was approaching, and if she was correct in her assumption...

“So, you’re finally here.” As she turned her head, Hornet was greeted by the sight of Ghost approaching slowly. “The seals are gone, and there is only one thing left for you to do.”

Once they were at her side, a deep rumble emanated through the room before the door separating them from the inside of the egg lit up brightly- the runes of the spell used to bind the dreamer’s to the vault flashing briefly as the stone split apart and exploded outwards. Hornet brought up her needle to knock away the debris, while Ghost stood slightly behind her. From out of the darkness, a tormented scream rang out- the broken sound an obvious warning of what was to come next.

Looking back at them, she hesitated to show any uncertainty towards the future, but Hornet knew what the most likely outcome of their encounter with the Hollow Knight would be.

“The way before you is clear, and the Hollow Knight awaits. What happens next is up to you, Ghost.” Before she could step away, they reached out to her. Their hands grasped at her wrist as they glanced towards the entrance to the temple’s heart once, then twice, and back at her. “I’m afraid that this is the one place I cannot follow you. The space within the Black Egg was not made to support beings such as myself, though you and the Hollow one share that same inner essence that keeps these walls together. If I sense an opening then I will assist, but until then, you must make this last leg of your journey alone.” Hornet had no doubt they were used to handling deadly enemies without assistance, but this was different.

The Little Ghost had traveled the breadths of the wastelands to answer the Hollow Knight’s call, and now, they were finally at the end of their quest- with the entire fate of a kingdom’s future weighing upon their shoulders.

What could she say to bolster their spirits? What words could she weave together that wouldn’t seem empty in the face of a task so daunting? In the end, she couldn’t think of a single thing in the moment. So instead, she leaned down and brought her arms around her sibling’s shoulders, ignoring how they froze in her grip as she held them tightly.

“I bid you to be strong, Ghost. The end is close at hand, and I know you haven’t come this far just to give up now.” When she felt their own arms wrap around her midsection in return, Hornet had to force herself not to sigh. As soon as the two pulled away from each other, she gave them a knowing look. “Besides, I think our sibling has suffered at the hands of the infection long enough.”

In response to her words. they nodded sharply before stepping past the threshold of the vault- their small form fading out of sight quicker than she would’ve liked. It was that image of them striding determinedly into the Black Egg that Hornet wanted to remember for as long as possible.

\---

Hornet knew the exact moment that Ghost’s fight with the Hollow Knight began. The sealed vessel’s scream was likely audible throughout the entirety of the crossroads and possibly the little town of Dirtmouth as well. She had the urge to jump in and assist with the fight almost immediately, but she knew she had to wait. Her help would only be useful to Ghost near the end because within the Black egg, her strength wouldn’t last long.

Standing outside of the vault while her sibling- _siblings_ -fought each other to the death was making an unfamiliar sensation creep up her throat. For the first time, Hornet wondered why her father bothered with using void in her creation at all when there wasn’t enough of it in her to be useful for _anything_. She lacked the connection to the abyss that the rest of the true vessels shared, and without it, she was set apart from them in all the wrong ways.

This didn’t deter her when she heard the Hollow Knight’s weakening cry, however.

It took only a few seconds for her to speed through the empty hallway within the black egg, her needle primed to strike. Before she’d even entered the chamber where the battle was taking place her weapon was already soaring through the air, punctuated by her signature battle cry and aimed directly at the taller knight’s face.

Hornet wasn’t expecting the Hollow one to parry her throw, but she forced herself to recover quickly. She only had a split moment to raise her needle up in front of her before the knight’s massive nail came down on top of it, the edges of the two blades giving off sparks as they ground against each other.

As their weapons were locked in a deadly embrace, Hornet spied Ghost out of the corner of her eye. The small vessel was lying on the ground, their nail nowhere to be seen. With a startled yelp, Hornet pulled away from the Hollow Knight and jabbed at them with her needle- the sudden assault forcing them away just long enough for her to cry out to her incapacitated sibling.

“Ghost! Get up! You aren’t finished yet! _Get up!!!_ ” Her screams probably near matched the Hollow one’s own roars of pain, but her strength was fading fast. If the tall knight managed to land a hit on her, then she wouldn’t be waking from this dream.

Thankfully, it seemed that her wish would be granted in the end, as Ghost wearily lifted their head off the floor and stood to face their elder sibling once more. In a last-ditch effort to buy them some more time, Hornet unspooled her thread and rushed towards the Hollow Knight. She couldn’t help but giggle when it failed to see her true intentions beyond the tip of her needle. The weapon embedded itself in the ground, and Hornet’s resulting flurry of silken strands had their limbs thoroughly entangled. Pulling the thread taut, she turned back towards Ghost.

Hornet didn’t have to tell them what to do next, but when they drew the dream nail instead of the one forged from metal, she finally realized which path they’d decided to take.

The instant the shining blade made contact with the Hollow Knight, there was a noise like the whole world was being torn apart, and then Hornet knew nothing but brilliant, searing _light_.


	4. Reconcile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's no red cross in Hallownest, just an angry red-cloaked bug with a really big needle.

As soon as Hornet recovered her sight and the strength in her limbs, she noticed two things. The first was that the black egg was completely gone. Its abyssal walls were no more- their very existence having apparently melted away while she was asleep. The second thing she noticed was Ghost, and what a horrible state they were in.

With a panic that only a sister could have for her now only remaining sibling, Hornet rushed across the temple to their side. Their chest was heaving unsteadily, and on their back, a pair of ethereal wings beat in an erratic manner, as if to steady them even though they were already kneeling on the ground. Though, the worst part was the fact that their mask was effectively split in two. A jagged crack ran down the center from the top of their head all the way down to their neck on both sides, and a steady cascade of void was spilling out as well- the flow unceasing even as she watched them try to desperately pull themselves together with soul.

Hornet knew whatever strength they had left in their body after such a traumatic fight wouldn’t be enough to sustain them until their wounds closed, and at the rate that they were bleeding, death was still certain to come if she didn’t do something. So, it was with an uncharacteristic gentleness that she lifted Ghost into her arms and began the slowest possible journey to the crossroad’s hot spring.

The sight of the old tunnels healing brought her a slight joy if she were being honest. If she weren’t so focused on the task at hand, she may have taken more time to admire how quickly the world recovered from the infection that had nearly destroyed it all. As it was, black motes were still seeping out of Ghost, and she didn’t want to jostle them too badly- not when she had no idea how they were still holding the two halves of their mask together. While she navigated the still mending hallways of the crossroads, Hornet tried not to think about how it felt to have their blood spilling over her arms and chest as they curled into her.

Once they’d reached the spring, she slid their body into the water as carefully as possible. It took some effort on her part to shove down the nausea that suddenly arose when she realized that the water around them had become more black than translucent the instant they were submerged, but Hornet couldn’t afford to show or feel weakness then either. It was after they let out a noiseless sigh that Ghost finally began to absorb the soul-infused energy and channel it through themselves, the edges of the split in their mask slowly but surely mending as they focused.

As soon as the water returned to its familiar misty white again, Hornet slipped off her cape as well and let herself sink below the surface of the pool. The stains left on her body washing away like a bad memory. It was without complaint that Ghost let her remove their own cloak so she could scrub out the blood, the blackness fading from both pieces of fabric with ease before she set them out to dry.

Relaxing against the warm stone, Hornet soaked in the comforting heat of the spring. After the ordeal they’d just faced, she wanted to lie there forever, but she knew she could only lounge for so long before-

_ hornetsisterhelp? hurtsomuchpain! needneedneed _

Sitting up with a jolt, Hornet gasped softly as unfamiliar emotions jumped to the forefront of her mind. Emotions that weren’t hers.

_ hurtshurtplease hornethelphelphelp-! _

Across from her, Ghost was thrashing about in the water, their hands clawing at the schism in their mask. With a frustrated growl, Hornet made her way to their side and pried their arms away from their face.

“No, no- stop that. Ghost, stop. Cease this foolishness and be still!” she hissed, holding their wrists far away from the still healing crack. “Your wound cannot repair itself if all you do is try and make it worse, and I cannot repay my life debt to you if you are dead! Now, don’t move.” Once she was satisfied that they wouldn’t start self-mutilating again, Hornet lifted herself out of the hot spring and shook off the water still clinging to the fine hairs on her shell.

Picking up her needle, she set about using one of the first skills she was taught. Hornet knew that her thread was highly conductive magically. The weavers had used their talents to spin soul into a tangible and versatile material unlike any other, and it was those special qualities that would help her sibling recover. Although she’d have preferred to use lifeblood for its non-binding properties, this would have to do.

When her project was finished, it only took a few minutes to wrap the newly made bandage over the crack in Ghost’s mask. The white of the thread was soon partially stained with void, but the fabric held back most of the fluid. When they finally relaxed back into the water once more, Hornet knew the worst of their pain was over. Now, she could address the other part of her concerns.

“Since when have you been able to project your thoughts in such a way?” she said, before scooping up some of the spring water into her hands and pouring it over their head. The soul-infused water would have a better chance of healing them now that it had a chance to soak into the bandaging. As the split in Ghost’s form continued to shrink, it appeared that they found enough strength to tilt their head towards her.

_ sincealways? sinceforever? sincewakingfromdream _

Their attempt at explaining did little to clarify, but Hornet supposed it had something to do with the Old Light’s influence on the kingdom, and what Ghost had done to finally be rid of the plague.

“Well, at least something good came out of all this.” When she gave them a closer look, she found them dozing off, their head lolling forward as exhaustion took over their body. “The time for rebuilding is ahead, but the kingdom can wait for us a few moments longer.”

Ghost needed no extra encouragement after that, their mask resting against the stone behind them as they slept. With a quiet giggle, Hornet sat down on the cave floor and pulled her cloak back around her shoulders.

“Rest easy, sibling mine, you deserve it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i m finally done sjhfkjadl
> 
> don t look at me

**Author's Note:**

> See ya'll next arc, lol


End file.
